I have been with the same primary care physician for the last 8.5 years. I found her by referral and honestly fell in love with the way she practiced medicine. It ALWAYS appeared she had all the time in the world when we met. Never was she hurried nor did she pass me off to another health care provider. She typed notes in my chart while we talked. She remembered everything from the year before and prompted me with questions to ensure I had not forgotten anything since our last visit. She would ask about my children, my job, and she would share her own life stories. She always made me feel at ease, welcome, and as a friend. She seemed to treat ALL her patients this way. 

So when I received the letter last month that she planned to move her practice to a concierge model by the end of the year, my stomach turned and honestly, I felt ill. Luckily, I had my annual visit already scheduled within the week so I could add the concierge concept to my list of questions. I started going through the pros and cons of signing on with her.

Pros: (1) I have been with her for the last 8.5 years. She KNOWS me. There is something to be said about that when it comes to your health. (2) she would be available to her patients 24/7 via cell and email. WOW, what’s not to like about that? Though I only see her once a year now, I do see the urgent care doctor on weekends several times a year. (3) she will carry a smaller patient load that will allow her to spend a minimum of 1 hour with each patient annually, and 30 minutes if needed for other appointments scheduled throughout the year. Of course as I mentioned above, she ALWAYS spent time with me or maybe that was just my perception. (4) If I had family or friends in town visiting who needed to see a physician quickly, she would be available. Much like the family doctor I grew up with. What’s not to like about that? (5) Direct assistance should I need to be referred to a specialist, i.e. navigation to the best doctor, not the required doctor.

Cons: (1) This service is going to cost me $1,800/yr. (2) I only see her once a year now for the BIG stuff so is it worth the money for that one time? (3) my family all live on the same street as me, so no one is coming in to visit that would need a doctor for an emergency, so that ‘service ‘ is not something I really care about. (4) Referral, i.e. navigation assistance would be nice if I needed it but overall, my health is pretty great. So, is it worth the $1,800/yr. for something I probably won’t need? And, shouldn’t a doctor refer me to the best doctor anyway, not a required one?

Inc. Magazine Honors Concierge Medicine

If you search Google for ‘concierge medicine’ you get more than 8.7mil hits. News articles are just as impressive on the search results. I have a personal physician friend in San Antonio, TX that has had a concierge practice for more than a decade and LOVES it. She raves about being able to spend real time with her patients. If she has not seen them in a while or knows they were due for lab work or checkup, she calls personally to talk to them. She knows when they have been admitted to the hospital or have had a life event change. She spends her time with each and every patient which showing that her business model is providing quality outcomes. It reminds me of the family doctor I had growing up. 

The model must work. The number of physicians moving to concierge medicine is growing at rapid rates. The number of articles on ‘physician burnout’ pop-up daily, just like this one from NPR listed below, so physicians want something different. I want something different. Health systems are struggling with lower reimbursement, I’ve seen my bill with some providers as I get that pass through on those changes. Narrowing of networks, mega mergers, patient dissatisfaction on the rise, increased paperwork, decreased transparency, and a host of more negatives goes a long way in why patients, like myself, will give serious thought to signing on that dotted line to pay the added fee for quality time & care with my physician. Contemplating a concierge model for my care just got clearer. 

What are your thoughts on Concierge Medicine? Is this something you have contemplated for your own care? 

Physician Burnout? Or just miserable?

My journey started years ago, but honestly don’t remember when. Oh, I knew I had fibroids. When I was pregnant with both my children my fibroids grew at the same rate as my kids in the first few weeks of pregnancy due to the hormones I took.  But, outside of those two different moments in time more than a decade ago, I cannot tell you if my journey to a hysterectomy started before then. I know some women can tell you their entire reproductive start to finish but it was nothing I kept up with that closely until that one time of year when I went in for an annual exam, held my breath until I got the postcard that my pap was good and then forgot about it again.  The most recent event or something I can kick start this hystersister journey would be a fall I took in late February this year.  

So how does a fall lead to major surgery to remove organs? It doesn’t. It was a start to discover why I could not recover from my fall and the fact I was losing the feeling in my left leg. At first, the orthopeadic told me the fall recovery would take 8-10 weeks, including the swelling. At 12 weeks I was getting worse and starting to lose my balance. Actually, my leg kept giving way and I fell…again. So back into the orthopeadic I went. He decided a MRI was needed as I should have been completely healed at 12 weeks. So, off I went and got the MRI. Instead of the customary phone call to give me results, I was asked to schedule an appointment to talk about the results. Like most, sure I was a little nervous but nothing terribly worried about. That was until the doc pulled up my report and lead the conversation with, ‘you need to schedule an immediate appointment with your on/gyn’. He showed me the results and showed the fibroid tumor that was pushing up on the base of my spine and sciatica causing pain down my leg. He asked how quickly I could see my doctor and did I need his assistance to get an appointment. While I appreciated his help, I knew if I called my doctor with the importance he suggested I would be able to get in quite quickly. I was right. 

Fast forward, one pap, pelvic exam and ultrasound later (all within hours), I was told there was not one but two fibroids spanning the width of me and my uterus was so big they could not see my ovaries in the ultrasound. Decision was made, hysterectomy was the solution.  Now, at 47 and blessed with two children, I did not plan to have more children but will not lie, I had a small sense of loss. Loss of the ability to have more children. Some would dismiss this as hormonal and you may be right. However, I truly loved being pregnant and consider it a gift I was given, to bring life into this world. That is now gone. 

But, I digress just a moment. So, push forward, my surgery was July 5, 2017. A complete abdominal hysterectomy, leaving the ovaries. I had the epidural to manage pain afterwards (great decision)  and within 48 hrs I was heading home. All in all the hospital stay was the quickest and the easiest. Managing pain and trying not to get ahead of myself seems to be hardest part since I got home. At least right now. I keep waiting for all the other things I have read from other women, like insomnia, mood swings or depression. For right now, I am just tired as I have entered this #hystersister club. 

Until next time ladies. Stay strong my chickadees. 

As I sit here watching my son at track practice, I can feel the ache in my legs from my workout earlier this morning. Oh, it’s a good ache letting me know I did something new, possibly right and worked a set of muscles that had not been pushed before. I am certain that I’ll be feeling it more tomorrow. But, even with all that ache I am happy with the workout because I tried something new. It was not out of some fitness magazine or DVD workout but in my latest obsession, Instagram. 

I follow people like Wes Whitlock, Cameron Hanes, Sorinex and Bethany Brenham. I follow them because they are realistic athletes. They hurt, they age, they make mistakes (and not afraid to admit it) and most of all they try new things. Unconventional things that through trial and error are just plain fun when you are tired of the same whole dumbbell curls and traditional squats. I can honestly say I am having more fun trying these new exercises than I have in years working out. Oh, don’t get me wrong, there are some pics and videoed that I laugh at and say ‘not hardly’ or maybe make some snarky comment like ‘eat a Snickers sweetie’. But overall I am having fun and isn’t that really what it’s about? Shouldn’t we have fun while doing this? 

So, look these folks up or find ones you like to watch. Try new things while working out, especially at home. You can decide in the privacy of yourself if you like the exercise. Better yet, grab your kids and have them try with you. Show them you are vulnerable and not afraid to try new things. It has been great for me and my boys. They get in the gym with me, try new exercises and then we talk about what we liked or didn’t about it. I treasure those conversations each and every time. Catch me on IG as well and watch me try new things, make fun of myself but try nonetheless. 

#healthiermechicadee 

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I so enjoyed the farmer’s market today. It was busy, which for locals is a good thing. I went because I love veggies and I also love to support local growers/businesses. Today, I got my fix of both. But for someone who is trying very hard to enter the holidays on a healthier note, here are some observations from today.

Pie. So as I enter the market, there she is, The Pie Lady. Fresh homemade pies all lined up just waiting for someone to buy them. Oh they called to me, like a siren I tell you. I kept looking at the table and would quickly look away as if too long of eye contact would somehow garner unwanted attention. It took all my will power not to go over and shove my face into one. Especially since the people that were there ogling said pies made it even harder to stay away. But who knew I would find pies at a farmer’s market?!

Bread, Brownies, And Cookies Galore. So after making my treacherous way past said pie lady, there two tents down is the artisan baker with fresh bread, brownies and cookies galore. REALLY?! I stop to listen to him talk about his food. He is telling a woman about the ingredients he uses, the care he takes in making each and every sinful-pound-to-my-arse brownie he makes. He talks about the gluten free double chocolate fudge brownie cookie he made up last night. As if that is suppose to soften the blow to the number of calories or fat that is surely in that cookie.  Part of me, the vicious healthier eating venture me, wants to shove that cookie in his mouth just to get him to stop talking. My stomach is now growling, so I know I must pick up the pace on my shopping or I will hurt someone soon. 

Veggies. Now back to the main reason I got up early to hit the market, veggies. I forgot my bag once again but remembered the Kuerig this time, which I’ll take the win on that one. With my tea in tow and making my way past the pie lady and baker tormentor, I see the goal, fresh local organic grown veggies. Now living here in the south we can grow vegetables longer, which is a blessing. Also, aquaponics is the coolest thing ever for growing fresh greens.  Just take a look at these! 

Thanks to Carrie Oliver for modeling the local greens for me! 

Squash this time of year is awesome! Eat it raw or cook it up whatever way you please, but this stuff is great. 

Local farmer’s can bring you the staples but they can also bring you new things to try. I was amazed at how many of the farmers had recipes cards out to try using their produce, dairy, fish or meat. They really make it easy to eat healthy (or not Pie Lady), support local business, and venture into new foods. Si check out yours soon and stock up for some local homegrown veggies as you enter into fall. 

So one week in from meeting with Brett, energizer bunny nutritionist extraordinaire, from Memorial Hermann Human Performance team. Remember he is the one with the smile that we give our children when we are trying to be patient with them! I sat, I listened and while I wanted to shove a Snickers down his zero body fat throat, I didn’t. Instead, I went home and got busy reading on protein I could eat throughout the day without carrying a refrigerator on top of my SUV. 

So, results one week in? Here they are:

1. Energy. I found that my workouts for running got easier. I ran 8 miles yesterday and really muscle fatigue set in around 6.5miles. My cell phone ran out of juice before me, so I’m gonna take that as a win.

2. Packing lunches. While this is still a struggle it is getting easier. This is my passenger seat below. Note the order; water, small cooler, briefcase and purse last. I can grab any of my protein requirements easily while on the run. Yes, my job has me in the car quite a bit so having the set up helps me not crave Chic-fil-a drive through so much. 

3. Weight loss. One week in and I dropped three pounds. After a year at the same exact weight, one week in on Brett’s nutrition regime, I dropped weight. Now, comes the hard part beginning week two and seeing if I can maintain the protein intake. 

Don’t get me wrong here. None of this first week has been easy. I crave the ice cream in the freezer or the cookies I made earlier. My mother was making brownies on Saturday and I thought I might just run over my children to eat the entire pan! Then I attended our church bazaar and it is food paradise! Everything screamed fall comfort food. Luckily, I kept busy volunteering so I walked a lot. This morning I am craving Starbuck’s lemon pound cake-I know it is because I am hungry. Hungry because my body is burning calories and my protein shake from earlier is wearing off. 

So, I’ll end for now, grab my hard boiled eggs (I love egg whites) and keep moving. Oh the picture below is what happened this past week. In my hyper awareness to get my snack bag, my Kuerig spent the day on my car. #healthiermechicadee 

So in my beat down with Brett, you remember the energetic nutritionist, he told me I need to increase my protein intake and up the number of calories from what I have been doing. Sounds easy doesn’t it? Well let me tell you something it isn’t! I am logging my food intake and coming up short- heck I even had a cookie ok more than one today. When I walked away Monday I was pretty sure I could easily handle this new change in diet. After all, Brett told me to eat more, who wouldn’t want to hear that. 

What are some of your strategies when it comes to increasing your protein and healthy calorie intake?